Introduction
Ashwagandha is an herb that has been used for centuries in Ayurveda, a healing system developed in India. It’s the root of a plant called Withania somnifera. The name comes from the Sanskrit words “ashva,” meaning horse, and “gandha,” meaning smell. The root has a distinct aroma, one that some say smells like horse urine. Many alternative health practitioners believe that taking ashwagandha can boost thyroid health and improve symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. However, there’s not enough scientific evidence to prove these claims—yet!
Ashwagandha is an herb that has been used for centuries in Ayurveda, a healing system developed in India.
Ashwagandha is an herb that has been used for centuries in Ayurveda, a healing system developed in India. It’s the root of a plant called Withania somnifera and has been used as an adaptogen—an herb that helps your body adapt to stressors like physical exertion, mental stress and environmental factors like pollution. Ashwagandha also contains withanolides, which are compounds shown to have anti-inflammatory effects when used topically or taken orally.
It’s the root of a plant called Withania somnifera.
Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in the Ayurvedic medicine system, which originated in India. It’s also known as Indian ginseng, and has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions.
The small plant grows throughout the Himalayas and is a member of the nightshade family (like tomatoes and potatoes).
The name comes from the Sanskrit words”ashva,”meaning horse, and “gandha,” meaning smell.
The name comes from the Sanskrit words “ashva,” meaning horse, and “gandha,” meaning smell.
Originally found in India, Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry.
In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is considered to be a rasayana herb (rasa means juice; ayurveda is an ancient system of traditional medicine that originated in ancient India). It’s used to treat a variety of conditions including joint pain and stress-related disorders.
The root has a distinct aroma, one that some say smells like horse urine.
Your nose may be one of the first things to detect it, and it’s easy to mistake for its cousin the horseradish. It has a distinct aroma that some say smells like horse urine (although others call it more like an earthy, woody scent). The herb is not unpleasant, just unique—and if you’re familiar with ashwagandha as a supplement or in powder form as opposed to fresh roots, you’ll likely find this difference obvious upon smelling them side by side.
Many alternative health practitioners believe that taking ashwagandha can boost thyroid health and improve symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb, which means it’s believed to help the body adapt to stress. It’s been used for centuries in Ayurveda, an ancient healing system from India. The root of Ashwagandha, called Withania somnifera, has been prized for its medicinal value since ancient times and was even mentioned in the Vedas as a sacred herb.
In addition to being believed to have healing properties on its own, ashwagandha is also thought by many alternative health practitioners to boost thyroid health and improve symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. Because there aren’t many scientific studies exploring these claims yet (the herb has only recently made its way into North American herbal medicine), most doctors don’t recommend taking ashwagandha unless you’ve tried other treatments without success.
Ashwagandha is an herb long valued for its healing properties.
Ashwagandha is an herb long valued for its healing properties. It’s the root of a plant called Withania somnifera. The name comes from the Sanskrit words “ashva,” meaning horse, and “gandha,” meaning smell.
In Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha has been used as a tonic to promote physical strength and endurance since about 300 BC, where it was also known as winter cherry or Indian ginseng (though it’s not actually related to true ginseng). Today it’s considered one of India’s most important medicinal herbs.
Ashwagandha’s popularity has spread worldwide thanks to its reputed ability to help fight stress and fatigue—but there may be much more to this ancient superfood than meets the eye!
Conclusion
So, is ashwagandha good for thyroid health? That’s up to you! You may want to try it on its own or with other supplements, such as iodine or selenium. But before you do that, talk to your doctor about whether this herb is right for your health needs and be sure not overdo it.
